Anyone ever tried using beeswax to help seal their humidor? I have a bally glasstop humidor and there are rather large gaps in the framework that holds the glass in and I suspect it might be causing some leaks. I thought maybe natural beeswax heated just enough to be spread along the seams with like a putty knife might help to seal it better. Possibly along other joints as well and maybe around the lid?

The wax is very hard at room temperature and has no scent. I'm just unsure if it will decompose over time, or if the moisture will break it down. Although I think wax is made up of mainly hydrocarbons and is rather hydrophobic. It seems better than some kind of silicone.

Thoughts?
[Reply]

I'm curious as to why you might feel that the beeswax is a better option than silicone, as silicone is a pretty well proven solution for these situations.
[Reply]

I don't know what kind of chemicles are in it.
[Reply]

I use food grade silicone. Works great for me.
[Reply]

:-) :-)
[Reply]

Okay I'll look into that too. Thanks!
[Reply]

I would agree with Adam and just use silicone. Aquarium grade is what you want as there are no fumes.

If you insist on using beeswax: In what other applications could it be used to create a airproof seal? You mentioned it being very hard at room temperature, does that hardness translate into brittleness? Being that it will be used on the lid, the repeated opening and closing might cause it to break apart. Just thinking out loud here.
[Reply]

Figured it might be something like that. Look for the non-toxic ones, like aquarium silicone or I've used the NAPA auto parts brand which is also non-toxic (and cheaper), once they are dry, they are perfectly safe to keep your cigars around.
[Reply]

It doesn't feel brittle, but when I looked at it, it was in a solid brick. I guess in a thin application it could be prone to cracking. It was wrapped so it was hard to tell.

Either way, I didn't know food grade silicone existed.

All of my searches for methods of sealing turned up weather stripping around the lid, which I may also do. Because of the large gaps in the frame for the glass, I think that's probably the worst offender though.

Also, regarding the dollar bill test. Should the dollar be placed so that it goes over the raised lip and wraps around it when you close the lid?

Thank you all for your help. I'll get some of the silicone.
[Reply]

Inexpensive glass top humidors are notorious for leaking around the glass.

Just looked up the Bally humidor, you probably won't be able to use weather stripping, that's more for cabinet humidors. What you would want to do is open the lid, lay a dollar bill flat over the lip so that part of the bill is inside the humidor, and part is out, then close the lid and try and pull the bill out or slide it. You might have to do it in a few spots. If you find spots where you can move it easily (a little bit of wiggle isn't a big deal), then you might want to apply a strip of masking tape to the lip that projects down from the lid, so as to create a tighter seal against the body of the humidor.

Also check how well the hygrometer fits in the front of the humidor, or just pop it out, run a fine bead of silicone, then reinstall it, so that it's sealed.
[Reply]

Im not sure I understand your question, so Ill explain the $$ test. Take a dollar out (crisp $100s work best for this, or you can use two $50 bills if thats all you have on hand :-))

Take the bill, and lay it flat so that, when closed, the lip of the humidor doesnt allow the portrait to show. Slide the bill out with the lid closed. If it offers resistance, then you have a decent seal, if it just slides right out, then youve got a gap.

You can repeat this all around the lip of the humidor to check for gaps.
[Reply]

I guess that's what I meant, the dollar bill needs to go inside of the humidor, and not just along the outer edge where the lid rests on top of the box walls. My lid seal seems fine in this area as the bill wouldn't budge in all areas.

The hygrometer is also an area of concern. It feels like it seats in there fairly well, but the hygrometer itself is so crappy that I wonder if I get leaks through the device itself. I may seal around the seam and then plug the holes. It's useless anyways.
[Reply]

Home Depot and Lowe's both sell GE Silicone II. It is suitable for aquariums.

The main thing to look for is that it is 100% Silicone, and does not contain fungicides, latex, or anything else.
[Reply]

They usually are crap. If you want a hygro, get yourself a digital one. I recommend Xikar hygrometers. I would agree that putting a bead of silicone around the hygro opening would be a solid idea.

edit: remember, you dont want the hygro to be completely air-tight. An allowance for some small amount of air exchange is recommended (other than you opening it frequently)
[Reply]